“Fusca” is how the VW Bug (or VW Sedan) is known in my native Brazil.
The origins of this name go back to how Germans pronounce Volkswagen, which sounds more like “folksvahgen.” That, shortened and pronounced in Brazilian Portuguese, morphed into “fusca.”
The Fusca was massively produced in Brazil from the late 50s to the mid 80s, with its production officially stopping in 1986. It was briefly produced in the mid 1990s again after the then Brazilian president Itamar Franco suggested it should be assembled again as a cheap car for the Brazilian population.
The VW Sedan has many different names around the world, precisely because it doesn’t really have a name.
Usually a car manufacturer, like Ford, will create a model and give it a name, like Focus.
The difference here is that Volkswagen (the manufacturer) literally means “People’s Car” in German. In other words, the company is named after the car.
So while the car was officially named the Volkswagen Sedan, nobody really calls it that. “Sedan” is not really a name, but just a description of its body type.
Here are some of the names that the car has around the world.
As a Brazilian living in Canada, I would love to have an authentic Fusca from Brazil. That’s my plan right now.
Has anyone you know ever imported a Fusca from Brazil to the US or Canada? Leave a comment below!
My E-Fusca 